Cooper had already flipped the menu over to peruse the dessert and coffee choices. His lazy gaze flicked up to stroke her. ‘I’ve only heard her speak in glowing terms of Ms Gruebella. Seems you have fans everywhere.’
Even as Sophie melted at his suggestive look, she shuddered. How that title grated outside of school. ‘What say we go back to pretending I don’t have a last name?’
Cooper’s approving nod seemed to convey a deeper meaning, and for the first time Sophie wondered about her first and his last names.
Sophie Smith?
Sophie bit her lip at the absurd impulse to find a pen and sample that signature on the napkin folded upon Cooper’s bread plate. That urge hadn’t been fully pushed aside before another question blinked in her mind. Her stomach dipped.
Whose surname would their baby bear?
Cooper set down his menu. ‘Paige will most likely throw a party when she hears she’s soon to be an aunt. She’s always loved babies.’
Sophie knew that well enough. Paige had often said how much she wanted one of her own one day. Hopefully a big dose of babysitting would satisfy the yearning for a few years yet. Plenty of time.
Sophie paused.
Over the years she’d often wondered when or if she’d get the chance to be a mother. It was still difficult to believe it was happening now … this way.
Elbows on the tabletop, Cooper thatched his hands and brought them to his chin. ‘So … what was Paige so concerned about you telling me?’
Thank heaven he couldn’t read minds. She zipped her lips. ‘Privileged information—sorry.’
‘Teacher and student? Similar to sinner and priest?’
‘Possibly more sacred.’
He broke eye contact to call the waiter over. ‘Paige wouldn’t be the young girl you mentioned had a boy hounding her?’
Sophie willed the hothouses from her cheeks and lied as she laughed at the suggestion. ‘No.’
She trusted Paige to consider all the ramifications of taking ‘the next big step’. After all, Cooper’s sister was sixteen going on seventeen—a naturally curious young woman, not a tot. Still, Sophie was thankful Paige would be away overseas for a couple of months. Seeing how big the world truly was might help put into perspective the adolescent fires of love.
Which brought to mind her and Cooper’s flames.
They hadn’t discussed what intimacies would be involved should she agree to a trial. Sex or no sex? That was a doozy of a question. Did living together include sleeping together?
In her mind she relived the captivating hours they’d spent enjoying each other, and a familiar warm compression kicked off a delicious pulse low and deep inside. The simple truth was, she wanted to experience those thrills again—what sane woman wouldn’t? But if she allowed Cooper to make love to her, he wouldn’t hesitate to use that power to manipulate her. Their kiss today had almost knocked her senseless. What defence would she have against him if a kiss turned into a night, a week, or months of mind-blowing sex?
She crossed her legs. As much as she adored the idea of getting naked with Cooper again, it simply was not wise. She’d feel continually drugged. In zero time she wouldn’t know what the heck she was agreeing to.
A trial wouldn’t make a fig of difference to how they fundamentally felt about each other. He would still be insufferably autocratic, and she would continue to tell him so—which in turn would make him more insufferable. But if she should decide to live three months under his roof—if only to prove irreversibly that his marriage suggestion was madness—she would need to keep both her head together and her clothes firmly on.
Best get that straight now.
She filled her lungs. ‘Cooper, I was thinking—’
The muffled sound of a cellphone rang out. Cooper held up a finger, found the phone on his belt and inspected the screen. ‘I need to get this. Excuse me.’
Resigned, Sophie sat back. ‘Of course.’
The maître d’ showed up again. ‘The gentleman and yourself are our only patrons as yet. Are you warm enough? Would you like the fire lit?’
Sophie sized up Cooper—head down, finger in his ear. She smiled over. ‘A fire would be lovely.’
As the maître d’ breezed off, Cooper disconnected. ‘Did I miss anything?’
She eased off her cardigan. ‘Nothing important.’
He settled the phone on the table. He nodded. ‘I’m all ears.’
‘Just for argument’s sake, say I do agree to a trial live-in.’ She ignored the assured gleam in his eye. ‘We’d need to work out sleeping arrange—’
The phone buzzed and vibrated. Cooper peeked at the screen. He thumbed the answer button. ‘Do you mind?’
Sophie lifted her chin to the phone and outwardly acquiesced. ‘Go ahead.’
Was this a taste of what life with Cooper would be like? Dynamic men were busy men, oftentimes with lonely wives. Wendy was already finding that out. Noah had cut short their honeymoon in Singapore due to urgent business. Wendy said she understood; when a woman was married to a diligent and successful businessman, she more or less had to.
Cooper disconnected. His eyes roamed over her. ‘You were saying?’
About to answer, Sophie held back as his gaze drifted over her shoulder and his brows buckled with enquiring surprise. His smile, a moment later, was close to reverent. ‘Look who the cat’s dragged in.’
Wondering, Sophie swung around in her seat. Her heart jack-knifed to her throat as a rush of disbelief and panic hurtled through her nervous system.
‘What’s she doing here?’ she hissed, spinning back. Her eyes narrowed. ‘Did you set this up?’
He kept his attention on the new arrival. ‘No, but I wish I had. This is going to be fun.’
Pushing back his chair, he stood to address pretty Penny Newly, who had spotted them from the entrance. Finger and thumb to his temple, Cooper feigned a poor memory.
‘Do we know each other?’ He snapped his fingers. ‘Of course. The wedding.’ He spoke to Sophie. ‘You know each other, don’t you, sweetheart?’
Sophie’s felt each corner of herself fold in on the other. This was an important, never to be repeated moment in her life, in which Penny Newly and her tactless remarks could play no part. She could throttle Mr Theatrical for instigating an encore to their exit that night.
But, to be fair, she couldn’t snub Penny in this barely populated condensed setting. Perhaps taking the advantage and facing her insecurities head-on wasn’t such a bad idea.
Finding her new, less mousy self, Sophie rotated towards her sometimes friend.
‘Penny!’ she exclaimed. ‘I didn’t know you visited this side of town.’
Her expression a study in curiosity, Penny glided over. She smelled great. Looked great. That white designer dress looked sensational against her spray tan and glossy, ash-blonde, perfectly ironed mane.
Penny barely acknowledged Sophie before offering her hand to Cooper. An admiring smile graced her full lips. ‘I remember your departure very well, but I don’t believe we’ve actually met.’
Cooper accepted Penny’s hand. ‘Time we did.’
Sophie held her breath.